A Karnataka Legislative Council committee headed by MLC Puttanna has recommended easing several compliance requirements for private and aided schools established before 2017–18, including changes to fire-safety certification, documentation, fees and infrastructure standards. The committee submitted its interim report to School Education Minister Madhu Bangarappa on Wednesday.
The panel has recommended that infrastructure and safety standards should not be applied retrospectively to schools built before 2017–18. For school buildings constructed before that period and standing below 15 metres in height, it has proposed a complete exemption from obtaining or renewing a fire department no-objection certificate.
The recommendation would still require such schools to maintain fire extinguishers, sand buckets, trained staff and clearly marked exit routes. For buildings above 15 metres, the committee has proposed extending the validity period of a fire-safety NOC from five years to 10 years. It has also recommended reducing the NOC fee from ₹20,000 to ₹5,000.
To reduce alleged opportunities for corruption, the report proposes allowing government-registered local civil engineers or architects to issue building safety certificates. It recommends a validity period of 25 years for certificates covering buildings that are not more than 25 years old, 10 years for buildings aged between 25 and 35 years, and five years for buildings older than 35 years.
The committee has also called for a substantial reduction in the more than 30 documents currently required from schools. It has proposed two separate online portals under the Student Achievement Tracking System: one for approving new schools and another for renewing recognition of schools that began operations before 2017–18.
Institutions operating several sections on the same campus would be required to introduce a safe-exit system in the interest of students, according to the report. The committee has also recommended temporary renewal of recognition so that SSLC and pre-university students can write examinations at the same school.
Another proposal would lower the minimum student enrolment required for renewal of recognition from 25 to 20. The committee has sought immediate release of pending reimbursements owed to private schools under the Right to Education Act and revision of reimbursement rates, which it said had not been revised for eight years.
The panel has further recommended ending the application of commercial rates to property tax, waste-disposal charges and electricity and water connections for private and aided schools. It has proposed a one-time settlement mechanism to clear recognition-renewal applications that have remained pending from previous years.
The recommendations are contained in an interim report and do not by themselves change the existing rules. Any proposed relaxation or fee revision would require action by the state government and the relevant authorities before taking effect.
